Lord Dracula
by Brian Hayles
SNT 1974-04-27
Starring Kenneth Haigh and Nigel Stock
Vlad Dracula ruled a united Wallachia from 1456 until 1462, when the then King of Hungary, Matthias Corvinus (who was also of a
Wallachian nobleman lineage), fell out with him and invaded Wallachia. After a dozen years as Matthias's prisoner in Buda, he
was again reinstated as the ruler of Wallachia. The price of Vlad's freedom was his conversion to Catholicism and he would
now be the fearsest of the King's champions, plus he had the King's sister as a wife. A wish granted to Vlad by the King was that
Father Benedict Estagen should serve as his witness before God.
When Father Benedict was young and filled with pride for truth, he had travelled the villages of the land with Father Emmanuel,
preaching their faith boldly. One day, word reached them to attend Lord Dracula at his court at Tirgoviste. They came bravely,
for they knew the horrifying reputation of the man but he greeted them most courteously. When Lord Dracula asked them what
his people think of him, Father Emmanuel replied that they say all manners of good things. All men hold him in honour and
affection and that there is no man that does not call him noble. He then asks Father Benedict who told him the truth: that they call
him tyrant and that he is renown only for his violent cruelty. Vlad rewarded the honest monk for his integrity and courage and
impaled the sycophant for his dishonesty.
Now, Father Benedict begins to write a chronicle of the year 1476, at the command of the King of Hungary and his ecclesiastical
superiors, who reslove him of the evils that he has witnessed. The story begins at the mighty castle of Tirgoviste, where Father
Benedict served as chaplin and chancellor to the Prince of Wallachia and Transylvania - the most cruel of men yet once the
most just of rulers. Known now and to the future of his more legendary names: Vlad Tepes,The Impaler, and of a more darker
meaning still, Lord Dracula.
With Kenneth Haigh [Vlad Tepes,The Impaler], Nigel Stock [Father Benedict Estagen], Hedli Niklaus [Melitsa, a Witch], John
Rowe [Lord István, Vlad's son from his first marriage], Gareth Armstrong [Brother Jakob], Heddy Nicholas [The Lady Ilonia,
King of Hungary's sister and Vlad's Second Wife], and Don Henderson [Captain Ferenc].
Also in the cast were George Woolley, Betty Malet, Patricia Green, Graham Rigby, and Philip Barber.
Directed by Anthony Cornish in Birmingham
Size: 81,633 Kb kbps: 128 kHz: 48 Time: 1 hr. 27 min. 6 sec. (Mono)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For a Laugh! Here is Suttonelms take on the play:
LORD DRACULA....1974
Revolting drama about Vlad the Impaler. Made me feel sick listening to it. Impaling people on stakes. By Brian Hayles, 27.4.74. Kenneth Haigh, Nigel Stock.
Replies
Gosh! I remember the play being broadcast, but I wasn't able to listen to it at the time. Thanks, Rick.
Interesting cast. I think a couple of the names are slightly wrong, though. It should probably be: Liane Aukin, not "Diane Orkin" and Hedli Niklaus, not "Heddy Nicholas".
Great stuff!
Roger
LOL - "That's Hedley, not Heddy" - sound familiar?
Thank You Roger. As you can tell the blurb came with the post when I downloaded it. LOL, but the play is quite intact and the cast is now corrected. ------------- Rick
Thanks all. ----- Rick
Thanks Rick.